Apparatuses, systems, and methods for managing metadata security and access

A system comprising:

• a controller configured to issue an access command and an address corresponding to the access command;
• a memory device coupled to the controller and configured to receive the access command and the address, wherein the memory device includes:
• a first circuit configured to provide a metadata enable signal indicating whether a metadata storage feature is enabled;
• a second circuit configured to provide a column address identifying a particular column to be accessed within a memory array;
• and
• a column access circuit configured to block, when the meta enable signal indicates that the metadata storage feature is enabled, access to a column corresponding to the column address when the column address matches a particular column address designated for storage of metadata.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a memory array;
• a first circuit configured to provide a metadata enable signal indicating whether a metadata storage feature is enabled;
• and
• a second circuit configured to determine a plurality of column addresses designated for storage of metadata and further configured to, during an access operation, receive a column address identifying a particular column to be addressed, compare the column address to the plurality of column addresses designated for storage of metadata, and block access to a column corresponding to the column address if the column address matches one of the plurality of column addresses designated for storage of metadata, when the metadata enable signal indicates that the metadata storage feature is enabled.